Clothes Make the Man—Literally

At my school’s sleep research facility, we are bringing back students for a follow-up study. Most of them don't seem to recall the uncomfortable beds or having electrodes pasted to their scalp from their baseline test, which was done back when they were in elementary school. (For our sake in recruiting participants, that's probably for the best.)

Nowadays they're older, wiser, more self-aware, and, as teenagers, a bit more judgmental. The researchers in charge of performing psychometric testing—new college grads and not much older or taller than the participants themselves—recently made an interesting observation: if they wear a white coat when interacting with the participants (and their parents), they receive more respect.

According to a study by Hajo Adam and Adam Galinsky of Norwestern University, it's possible that these individuals not only look more professional, but subconsciously feel more professional. In other words, the clothes may literally make the man (or woman).

The study, published February in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, observed an interesting phenomenon: wear a white coat you believe belongs to a doctor, and you'll be more focused. Wear a white coat you believe belongs to a painter, and you won't see that improvement.

It's been well-established—in the scientific literature and real life—that what we wear affects how others perceive us. Women who wear more masculine clothes to an interview (such as a dress suit) are more likely to be hired. People dressed conservatively are perceived as self-controlled and reliable, while those wearing more daring clothing are viewed as more attractive and individualistic.

We've recognized these distinctions since childhood—we learn what's appropriate to wear to school, to interviews, to parties. Even those confined to uniform convey their own unique style in an attempt to change how they are perceived by others.

This new study contributes to a growing field known as "embodied cognition"—the idea that we think with not only our brains, but with our physical experiences. Including, it seems, the clothes we're wearing.

Adam and Gallinsky explored this notion in three simple experiments:

In the first experiment, 58 participants were randomly assigned to wear either a white lab coat or street clothes. They were then subject to an incongruity task in which they had to spot items that didn't belong to a set (for instance, the word "red" written in green ink). Those in white coats made half as many errors as those in street clothes.

Next, 74 participants were subject to one of three conditions: wearing what they believed to be a doctor's coat, wearing a painter's coat, or simply seeing a doctor's coat nearby. They then underwent a sustained attention task, studying two similar pictures side-by-side in order to spot the four minor differences between them (not unlike these fun little tasks designed to keep a kid busy for...well, a few minutes anyway). Those who believed they were wearing a doctor's coat (which was, in fact, identical to the painter's coat) spotted more differences than the other two test groups.

Finally, participants wore either doctors' or painters' coats, and were instructed to examine a doctor's lab coat displayed in front of them. They then wrote essays on their opinion of each coat type. Once again, they were tested for sustained attention ("spot the difference"). Again, those wearing the coat saw the greatest improvement in the task. Simply looking at the item, then, does not affect behavior.

According to Galinsky, we must see and feel the clothes on our body—experience it in every way—for it to influence our psyche.

The symbolic meaning of a doctor's lab coat is clear. Physicians are careful, hardworking, and attentive. Do the psychometric testers in my lab become doctors—mentally—when they decide to put on a white coat? Do police officers feel braver on duty in uniform than they normally would in street clothes? Perhaps more importantly, does one dressed as an M&M for Halloween become chocolate?

Another important question remains. Do the cognitive changes last for long periods, or do they eventually wear off? Will one always feel more focused and attentive in a white coat, or will one habituate? According to Galinsky, further research is needed.

In the meantime, if you'll excuse me, I must go hijack a very large person and test my M&Ms costume theory.

I agree for the most part. You should test a sales environment where a banker is pitted with other bankers and on why people perceive the dressing up as a sign of wealth and status. In specific, a banker that irons their clothes everyday, shirt, pants, and tie, versus those that do not. Personally speaking from my experience and becoming ranked in the top 5% within 12 months of employment against bankers that had 10+ years of experience. I believe trust is created with an image, if you look sloppy, you are perceived as so. If you look put together, you're portraying trust.

As somebody that's traveled for one of my jobs at the age of 23, I have also received much more attention and respect when I am in a shirt and tie after work, than I would after I change and I am in a t-shirt and jeans. I think people turn on a type of treatment towards those that are dressed better than those that are not. I traveled for 26 weeks last year. I've tested my theory out by dressing up and dressing down when I am checking into a hotel. When I dressed up, families, couples, and groups, would let me go first, the front desk would call for extra help, I received upgrades, was told about the food menu and any other specials, and got a room in a good location (away from the elevator, stairs, ice machine). My average check-in time was about 5-10 minutes when I dressed up. Dressing down (in a preppy t-shirt or polo), on average I've had to wait on average 20 minutes, and as long as 45 minutes, before receiving service and another 5-10 minutes to check. I would usually get a room not in a ideal location, dirty, or worn down. I usually had to switch rooms after my discovery of how the room is and I would receive attitude from the person behind the counter.

The irony is that, after spending 3.5 years in banking, 99% of customers that have millions and hundreds of thousands, usually are dressed down and are raggy looking on a weekday. And the majority of customer that were dressed up at a bank had financial problems on a weekend or after work hours. I was even able to correlate wealth with the vehicle somebody drove and what they wore, since I had a window seat with a view of the parking lot. The more flashy a car was, the less wealth they had.

I believe most people are trained to respect those that are dressed up than those that are not. I would much rather wear a t-shirt, jeans or shorts, and sneakers to work than my fitted white shirt, bold ties, dress pants, and suit jackets. However, I do not think people will take me seriously.

Perhaps the folks who tried to get and stay by on image alone were struggling after a while but it could only take them so far. The folks who already made and kept a lot of money didn't have to prove anything to anyone else anymore, they were already successful.

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